THE PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE MANY, WHO
BELIEVE THAT communication between those who have passed through a change called
death and us who remain on earth is possible, but is instigated by the devil
cite as their principal argument the fact that communication takes place in the
dark. The world from time immemorial has been taught that darkness is the realm
of the evil one, and light that of God. Therefore it is not surprising that this
view of communication should be held by some. Proof beyond controversy has been
given them of the actuality of messages from their Spirit friends and they
cannot be convinced of the contrary. As it is to the interest of certain
organizations to prevent them from profiting by these messages, it becomes
necessary, therefore, to instill fear into their hearts, and this is done by
teaching them that it is the work of the devil.

Even if it were true that the manifestations of
those in the Spirit World always occurred in the absence of light, I believe I
have given a reasonable explanation for it. It is not true, however, that
darkness is absolutely necessary, and consequently we can remove even that prop
from the house of cards which selfish teachers call proof.

There is no darkness to those on the Other Side—light is eternal. Darkness
exists only for us of the earth plane, who are not sensitive enough to perceive
the light that is present. Of course it is true that the kind of light is
different and is not perceptible to our physical sight, but it is there for
those who can see it. I already have given examples of the effect of daylight on
several physical and chemical phenomena and of the way it interferes with a
séance. There is another effect which it has, and that is on the individual: it
makes him tense and resistant to everything beyond his view. His sense of sight
is functioning strongly and is bringing vivid pictures to his brain. Very little
chance remains for the infiltration of other impressions.

Thus it becomes quite evident that a very highly developed and sensitive
medium is necessary in order to make it possible for communication to take place
in the light.

Let me pause at this point for a moment to say that when I make statements of
this sort anywhere in this book, I do not want my readers to misunderstand and
think that I am given to self-praise. I am doing my best to state facts and
nothing else and I take absolutely no credit to myself for my mediumistic
development. This is a gift from God and my Guides, and if I have been able to
increase my sensitiveness and power by my efforts to live a life worthy of my
gift, I am glad that I can bring just that much more help to the world.

To resume: a medium always furnishes by far the greater part of the power
required to build up the Forces at a séance. Those who are sitting must furnish
some part, but when the demonstration takes place in the light, and the power
from the sitters is cut down almost to nothing, the medium has to shoulder practically
the whole burden. If she is not very sensitive and strong, no manifestation
occurs.

If I had secured the voices in the light but once in my life, I still could
point with pride to that achievement. I have secured them, however, hundreds of
times in the light, and often over long periods.

The method employed may be described briefly as follows: No attempt is made
in any way to darken the room or prevent the ingress of daylight or artificial
light. The sitter holds the small end of the trumpet toward himself, usually in
his open hand. It rests gently, with the large end toward me, but the large end
is not up to my mouth, or within a foot of my head. I usually hold the large end
of the trumpet in my open hand, with my head turned from the trumpet, as all who
are present can see plainly.

The communications generally are in loud whispers, but often singing will
come through in a clear voice. Even the whispers can be heard for some distance.
The singing could be heard for an ordinary city block or more if there were no
near-by disturbance. At times the voices are natural and clear. They are what we
call independent voices. This, however, necessitates an experienced and
absolutely sincere sitter and the perfect harmony of the others present. The
communications are as lucid as they are in a séance room. They are as complete.
The identification is just as satisfactory. During one of these bright-light
séances, sometimes as many as thirty or forty or even fifty voices will come
through, each different. Perhaps four or five will sing.

I repeat that these communications often are held in bright light, contrary
to the theories of the opponents of our great Truth, some of whom decry our work
as trickery and rank fraud, and others again as the manifestation of satanic
forces.

There is little that can silence the critics, however. I can hear many at
this moment say: Yes, she holds the large end of the trumpet near her. The
small end is near the sitter. It is very simple indeed for a ventriloquist to
throw his or her voice, especially as a whisper which is not easy to identify,
in the direction of that sitter, causing him to believe that it comes through
the trumpet.

I expected that, and therefore I shall present a further illustration that
will make such an explanation most difficult of acceptance.

In the Stead Center in Chicago, which was located on Grant Place, we had a
large living-room, which was used as a meeting room, the dimensions of which were
about thirty-two feet by eighteen feet. This room faced on the street and had
numerous windows, sufficient to flood it with light. It had windows on the north
or street side, and on the east side, overlooking the entrance to the Center.
There was a large doorway near the west end of the room, opening into the
library. A larger doorway near the east end of this room opened into the
reception hall, from which the stairs led to the séance room, and other rooms,
on the second floor. There was a fireplace in the west end of this room, the
west wall being the outside wall.

We have held tests here for our own satisfaction which would rather
disconcert our critics. I use the word tests, however, in a different sense
from usual. These were not tests or experiments in the sense of trying to detect fraud. I believe that the
conditions obtaining answered completely any accusation of fraud that might be
advanced. Their purpose was to determine to what extent we could open the door
and permit our loved ones to communicate with us. We tested ourselves, not my
mediumship as a matter between fraud and honesty, or the Spirit World as a
source of genuine intelligence.

A sitter has placed his chair in about the north center of this room, with
the house lights turned out, but with the electric lights from the street
flooding the room. It was so light that it was easy to distinguish the identity
of every person in the room; newspaper print could be read with facility. In
company with four or five others I stood near the east wall, and the sitter held
his trumpet, the small end toward his ear, with the large end pointing about
northwest, or away from me.

Not only did the voices come clearly, but they were so loud that we who stood
some eighteen feet away could hear every word.

Not satisfied with this remarkable manifestation, we had the sitter move to
the west end of the room and sit this time, for greater magnification of the
sound, with the large end of the trumpet near his ear and with the small end
placed almost directly against the solid west wall. The distance from myself and
the others with me was fully thirty feet.

Again the voices came through so clearly and loudly that we in the east end
of this large room could hear every word. Singing supplanted the voices at
times—singing that could have been heard plainly by any passer-by on the street.

Now, if I can throw my voice this distance, without the aid of any instruments or wiring or telephones, then I am several hundred per
cent better than any ventriloquist on the stage and could make far more money
for myself than ever has been donated to me as a medium, and with more ease and
no criticism.

All mediums do not secure the same manifestations. One medium cannot get the
same results with all sitters. As far as the loved ones on the Other Side are
concerned, they are always ready to communicate. If there are barriers, they are
earth-made or man-made. If there are climatic conditions that prohibit clear
communication, then it is because such conditions affect mortals. They do not
and cannot affect the other life. The lower never can command the higher, and
those who have passed through the change cannot or will not come to us and
manifest their presence and intelligence if we do not permit them to, or if we
shut ourselves out from such glorious evidence of immortality through our
ignorance.

One may say of these phenomena: This would be remarkable if it were true.
How do we know that it is true?

There are persons in this world who would not accept an unsupported statement
upon any condition. There are many who would not accept even the sworn accounts
of scores. However, I present this as true, and there are today in the world
thousands of persons who know that the statements I make in this volume are
true. This number includes many prominent lawyers, judges, physicians,
educators, ministers of the gospel, corporation officials, bank officials,
manufacturers, merchants, and others generally regarded as sane.

Beyond all that, however, is this further fact that to me is vastly more important:

What has occurred can happen again. This communication in the light has been
secured by many mediums. It will be obtained by many more. It is as much an
established fact that communication is possible and practicable in the light as
it is that there is communication in any form.